Agronomy journal, Vol. 73 No. 1-2, 2011.
Review article
A REVIEW ON NATURAL SWEETENER PLANT – STEVIA HAVING MEDICINAL AND COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE
Bulbul Ahmed
; University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh
Monzur Hossain
; University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh
Rafiul Islam
; University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh
Ananda Kumar Saha
; University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh
Abul Mandal
; University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh, University of Skovde, Sweden
Abstract
Stevia is a perennial herb that belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is a natural sweetener plant and estimated to be 300 times sweeter than cane sugar. The leaves of stevia are the source of diterpene glycosides, viz. stevioside and rebaudioside. Stevioside is regenerated as a valuable natural sweetening agent because of its relatively good taste and chemical stability. Now it is beingcultivated in Japan, Taiwan, Philippines, Hawaii, Malaysia and overall South America for food and pharmaceutical products. Products can be added to tea and coffee, cooked or baked goods, processed foods and beverages, fruit juices, tobacco products, pastries, chewing gum and sherbets. Health and safety issues have been extensive by considered and in the past 20 years media took significant attention in the US regions. The direct effect of stevioside on transport activity of glucose in skeletal muscle study divulged that insulin action on muscle glucose transport might be improved due to the low concentration of stevioside, signifying that stevioside has the imminent action in the glucose transport system in skeletal muscle. Also, it has a potential commercial value and that is why private and public biotechnology companies are producing stevia in huge quantity and marketing its products.
Keywords
Stevioside rebaudioside; pharmacological consequence
Hrčak ID:
73934
URI
Publication date:
28.10.2011.
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